Revenge: One Shot
by MothToANewFlame
Summary: Takes place three years after the events of the series finale "Two Graves"... Amanda has returned to the Hamptons at the request of her best friend only to find that things are not quite as they seem. Could the summer be off to start with a dish best served cold? Read on to find out! Was supposed to be a quick one-shot story (hence the title) but decided to make it last :)
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I've been away for quite some time but today I had some free time on my hands... decided to pursue an idea I've had for quite some time. This was meant to be a one-shot story but as usual, it's taking me longer to compose. So to anyone whose still out there and interested in fanfic of this show, I hope you enjoy in installments! Takes place three years after the events of "Two Graves". Enjoy! And please let me know if you're interested in reading :)**

Jack paced the wet stretch of beach with apprehension, gripping his phone to his ear as the moon danced on the lapping waves behind him. His aim was to get as far from the Labor Day festivities as possible to make the call, but it had little bearing if he could not reach his intended.

"Come on Amanda, where are you?" he pleaded, as it continued to ring without answer. Just shy of giving up he started back down the beach, resolved to make do with leaving a message.

"Listen, I know we're having… a 'thing' right now," he worded softly, unsure of how else to phrase the untimely distance between them. He steered away from the details, hoping to talk it out in person. "Same 'thing' as usual," he minimized. "Just – get here as quickly as you can, alright? We need to talk; it's urgent," he added with emphasis— only to be jolted by the thunderous sound of a gunshot piercing the air just behind him.

He whirled around in abject shock, retracing its origin not fifty feet from where he stood. "No," he muttered, robbed of his breath as he broke into a sprint, dropping his phone along the way.

There on the beach was the silhouette of a woman with soft blonde tresses, crumbling to the ground. His heart nearly beat out of his chest as he tore across the sand to get to her, the intensity of the moment clouding how closely it resembled that summer night on the beach just seven years before.

"No, no, no," he sighed with each step, crying out in release as he fell to his knees at her side. But it took every ounce of strength not to burst into tears before fearfully pulling her motionless form into a sliver of moonlight, revealing an identity that was unmistakable…

 **THREE MONTHS AGO**

Amanda placed her feet into the wet sand just shy of the shoreline and took a deep breath. How long had it been since she took in the sights of the horizon before her? How much her life had changed since then, she could scarcely count the ways. And yet just by choosing to stand in a familiar place a few yards from her father's beach house, she suddenly felt transported three years into the past. If not for the unseasonal chill in the air and a few changes of scenery in the distance, it would have felt like she had never left. It was a fact that made her shake her head in awe as she wrapped her arms tightly about her frame, finding warmth in the folds of her sweater.

"Cold day for it," a voice called out from a few feet away. Amanda briefly closed her eyes in recognition, allowing her friend to get close before turning. "They say it's one of the coolest starts to June on record… But then again, summer hasn't been the same since the girl that lived here left town."

She opened her eyes, allowing him to punctuate the greeting with his presence. "Nolan," she sighed, immediately pulling him into a hug. "It's so good to see you."

"Same here," he whispered over her shoulder. " _Especially_ here," he emphasized their surroundings as they separated. "I can't believe this is your first visit back to the Hamptons since…"

Amanda rushed a reply before he could finish. "I know it's been a while. I guess the longer it went it just got easier to stay away," she admitted. "No hard feelings. Charlotte's been begging us to come around too." Her eyes trailed over to her father's house wistfully. "I told her the same thing I told you."

"No-no, I get it," Nolan insisted. "You needed your space. And it's not like it hasn't been fun meeting up at your various escapades around the globe," he recalled some of their rendezvous points in the past three years. Thanks to the boat David refinished prior to his passing, there was no shortage of relief efforts that Jack and Amanda hadn't willingly volunteered their time to.

"You mean when you're not busy on missions of your own?" Amanda hinted with a smile. Aside from the case she left on Nolan's lap after their departure, he had far surpassed her own resume of seeking justice for the innocent. "I can't imagine how you found the time amidst it all to get married," she commented, reaching for his hand while he looked down bashfully. "But you know I wouldn't have missed your wedding for the world."

"Heh," Nolan exhaled in consolation. He drifted off momentarily, as if concealing something.

"Jack too, of course," Amanda added, wondering if it were the reason he was suddenly uneasy. "He had to work a double shift but he's driving down tonight. Stevie's watching Carl for the weekend," she elaborated, wondering at Nolan's continued silence. "We would have brought him along but you said it was going to be a small affair—"

"Oh no, that's fine, ah," Nolan slipped away from her grasp, taking a step down the beach. "Small is uh, putting it lightly…"

Amanda narrowed her eyes, quickly discerning something was amiss. She watched him stare out into the ocean for a beat before drawing close. "Nolan," she peered over at him. "Is there something you want to tell me?" He remained quiet, only prompting further questioning. "You know, you haven't really mentioned a lot about your fiancé – is everything alright?"

Betraying an air of uncertainty, Nolan struggled to tell her. "Ems," he found himself reverting to her old nickname. "It's Louise," he stammered.

Amanda's brow wrinkled in shock. "You're marrying her again?" she guessed incredulously.

" _No_ —" he put his hands up in gesture, loosely realizing his choice of words had given her the wrong idea. "I'm not marrying her – I'm not marrying anyone. I never was," he explained. It pained him to watch Amanda's eyes fixate in disillusion, and he placed his palms together in a pleading gesture. "I told you that because it was the only way to get you to come back."

"Amanda tensed at the reveal of his deceit. "You lied to us? Nolan, why would you do that?" she fumed, though it was notably tempered compared to what he expected.

"The truth is," he began, taking a breath. "There is something going with Louise. She's been getting threats – cryptic, that even I can't figure out." He reached out to hold her attention as Amanda glanced away in protest. "Ems, she's not the only one. Just a few days ago I got one too – I think they're connected. I tried to look into it without involving you and Jack but it's no use. I need your help," he affirmed, desperation building in his eyes. "I know, I was wrong to go about it this way and I'm sorry. Believe me, I wouldn't have done any of this if it wasn't something serious, but it _is_."

Amanda remained on guard as she pushed past her disappointment to read Nolan's expression. He was undoubtedly sincere but it didn't change the fact that just by listening she was going against every instinct that nagged at her. Again she closed her eyes, quietly deciding what to do next. When she opened them it was only to brush past him, storming halfway up the beach.

Nolan sighed in resignation. He had pushed her too far, testing the distance between them with a cheap ploy to entice her interest. But before he could give up hope, she suddenly stopped in her tracks and turned.

"Jack stays out of this," she demanded.

"Y-yeah, of course," Nolan stammered, eager to accept whatever terms she laid out. "I mean but, isn't he already on his way?"

"I'll take care of that," she closed the subject, just as smoothly as she closed her arms against the breeze. "Things have been good for us for a long time now," she offered a short explanation. "He doesn't need any stress. Especially something I can handle over the weekend."

"Right, of course," Nolan sought to be as agreeable as possible. "Though in all honesty it might take a little longer than a few days to crack…"

His tone held an eerie foreshadowing of the entire summer but Amanda braved it, posing her first question. "When did the threats start?"

Nolan swallowed, realizing it signaled her unprecedented return to a life she had long left behind. He sincerely hoped he would not regret bringing her back down the path. "Memorial Day weekend," he replied.

Amanda studied the ocean for a moment in thought, and averted her gaze back to Nolan before responding.

"Show me."


	2. Chapter 2

"I'm not sure... as long as it takes I guess?" Amanda lingered in conversation with Jack, holding her phone with one hand while lifting a sheet off the grand table with the other. Talking to him was a happy distraction from disrobing furniture in the beach house, a task that was slowly awakening more and more memories.

"He needs me right now," Amanda spoke of Nolan just as he walked through the sheers, clutching two envelopes in hand. Her gaze intensified while Nolan paused to listen, unsure how much detail she had shared.

"Hey bro-ski," he waved, leering awkwardly.

"Nolan says hi," she acknowledged, moving on in thought. "Listen, I think maybe... this might be good for us both." She trailed off, sighing at his response. "Jack, you know that's not what I mean—" she began, cutting short. She felt Nolan tensing beside her at the interchange, and rushed to end it. "Just give Carl a kiss for me… Yeah, I know… Yeah… ok I will. I love you too. Bye," she finished, setting the phone on the table somewhat exasperatedly.

Nolan's instincts kicked in. "Hey, Em if this is gonna come between you and Jack—" he guessed.

"We're fine," she assured, quickly refocusing. "Is this them?"

Nolan nodded as she unfolded the first envelope, revealing the notecard he had spent the past week studying. Against a red backdrop that resembled blood splatters was just one word in simple type: _shame._ He watched her examine it with interest, turning it on its side and even closely eyeing the paper stock.

"I've checked everything from the paper grade to the inkjet color but still haven't come up with anything that points me anywhere," he debriefed, sliding over the second envelope. "Louise got the same thing a few days before – with both of us, the note was hand delivered, no postmark, no fingerprints, and no evidence where it came from whatsoever."

Amanda stared continuously at length, focusing on the word itself. "Meticulous craftwork just to send a message," she thought aloud, fixating on something. "You said it was a threat?"

Nolan shrugged. "I mean, what else could it be?"

She cocked her head to the side. "Maybe 'shame' refers to something in the past rather than something forthcoming…"

"Yeah, well clearly this person is planning to exploit said things," he insisted, drawing her first guess.

"Mason Treadwell?" Amanda offered, weighing the possibility. "Certainly fits his style. Though I can't imagine he's still holding a torch for Victoria after all this time…"

"He was my first thought," Nolan agreed. "But why now? You cleared his name years ago; he could have come out of hiding anytime since."

Amanda countered with a shrug, drawing on her memory of that time period. "Not after we unveiled Victoria's attempt to frame me with her murder – he was her accomplice, remember?"

Nolan pondered a different angle. "So, in that case… is this is an admission of his _own_ shame?"

"Maybe," she considered. "You never know with Mason, one moment he's bargaining for his freedom, the next he's cozying up to your arch enemy," she paused, realizing how long it had been since she thought at length about Victoria. "Then again he could just be trying to stir the pot in advance his latest book," she huffed dismissively.

"Well, we could ask him if I could find him somewhere," Nolan jumped to the next step. He pulled out his tablet to show Amanda his latest in advanced tracking technology. "New surveillance software – it runs off satellite, can pull facial recognition from just about anywhere on the planet dating back for months."

Amanda raised an eyebrow, impressed. "And?"

"Nothing," Nolan sighed, underscoring the need for her help. "Next to your mother and Lydia Davis, he's officially the hardest person to find on or off the grid. Haven't ruled either of them out either, by the way," he added.

"My mother has dementia. She's in a nursing home in LA," Amanda informed to Nolan's surprise. "And this is too sophisticated for Lydia," she also ruled out. "Not to mention she doesn't even know Louise. If anything, she would have come after _me_ instead, and she would have done it out in the open, not in secret."

Nolan gave it a moment's thought. "That could still happen," he warned.

A wave of urgency washed over Amanda but she remained calm, determined. "For us to make sense out of any of this, safe to say it needs to," she asserted, drawing his surprise. "I think a public appearance is the only way we're going to find out more about who's doing this."

"Ah, Ems," Nolan chided tenaciously, pointing to the note again. "Need I remind you these are meant to be _blood_ splatters?"

"Not 'meant to be'," she corrected with purpose, palming it again. "I think this is actual blood, Nolan."

His expression contorted. "What, it can't be – the notes are identical, same design printed to the edge," he pointed out, holding both side by side.

Amanda lifted one to the light, transfixed on something else. "But the indentations are different," she noted, delving into explanation. "Jack has a friend in forensics – he told us how they process documents for hidden traces of DNA. Even if the surface appears flat, they can tell a lot by indentations underneath." She ran her fingers along the bottom. "These notes look like they were saturated in different places after they were printed."

"Leave it to you to take a crash course in forensics," Nolan muttered under his breath, not altogether surprised.

Amanda glared, returning it to the table. "I don't know for sure," she retracted. "But it wouldn't hurt to get it under the microscope of a professional."

"Hm," Nolan reclaimed the notes with intent. "It just so happens the new detective at SCPD and I are… rather chummy," he hinted. "I'll look into it."

She gave a sly look in return. "Look at that, there may be wedding bells for you after all," she poked at him, moving on to check her phone before he could retort. "See what you can find out by this afternoon, I have to go meet my sister for lunch."

"Ah, out in the open?" Nolan protested, turning to follow her through the room.

"Yes, Nolan – we're meeting at the South Fork Inn," Amanda breathed in exasperation, continuing to lift dust linen from each fixture throughout the house. There was an odd sense of déjà vu as she did, as if breathing life into a past long buried away. "Charlotte's idea," she clarified for his sake.

"Are you going to tell her about all this?" he wondered.

Amanda rolled up the last sheet into a bundle and tossed it aside. "I don't see why not," she decided. "Whoever's doing this may eventually make their way to her on the list – she needs to be prepared."

Nolan agreed with a nod, following to where she had made her rounds at the southern side of the house. She stood with her back to him, waiting for his input. "So that settles it then," he gave it in conclusion. "You're convinced you're the target in all this?"

She turned away from the open sheers. "Not convinced… but almost certain," she treaded honestly. Something about the admission made her feel a twinge of remorse. "Hey," she took a step closer to her friend, reassuring him with a newfound calm. "I know I gave you a hard time at first but… you were right," she admitted, looking around. "I wouldn't have come back any other way. But, now that I'm here, we're going to close this chapter once and for all."

He snorted, mocking her simplistic approach. "If only it were that easy."

"Wasn't it?" Amanda chuckled in irony, recalling the four burdensome years that argued strongly in the opposite. They rolled their eyes in unison, unable to resist the habit of gazing towards where Grayson Manor used to be. "Besides," she added with determination. "I think it's high time I put an empty space to good use."


	3. Chapter 3

Amanda exhaled contentedly as she rose from her table by the window to pull Charlotte into a hug. Though the occasions were far spread between, seeing her sister always left her with a warm feeling.

"I had to do a double take when I got your text saying you'd be in town this weekend," Charlotte whispered softly as they separated. "I hope meeting here is alright? It's the closest place for lunch outside of the facility."

"No it's fine," Amanda assured, recalling how she had executed her very first takedown in the Hamptons just a few tables over. But that was years ago. "Please, sit," she gestured to the empty seat across from her.

Charlotte furrowed her brow at it. "Jack didn't come with you?"

Amanda relaxed into her seat with a sigh. "Our plans got rescheduled as it turns out," she explained, easing in. "He stayed behind. But I wanted to see you. I've missed you," she emphasized sincerely.

"I wish I got to visit more often," Charlotte apologized. "It's just my work at the rehabilitation center keeps me busy. I barely have time for a personal life," she added, unknowingly giving her sister an update on the topic. "Not that I need one really – what I'm doing is so fulfilling."

Amanda's eyes were full of understanding as she reached out to take her hand. "I think it's wonderful how devoted you are to using your experience to help other young women. I've heard nothing but good things," she shared in reflection.

"Thanks. I'm sure I owe it in part to the Hamptons being full of troubled souls," Charlotte acknowledged humbly, her interest shifting. "So what brings you here all of a sudden?"

"Well," Amanda organized her thoughts. "A few reasons, actually… one of which is I decided to open the house."

"You did?" Charlotte lifted an eyebrow with intrigue.

"Yeah it wasn't as hard as I thought it would be," Amanda admitted. "The memories felt good… I needed them." She paused to reflect, resting her elbows on the table as she clasped her hands together. It still tugged at her heart strings to speak her father's name.

Charlotte braved it for her. "I miss David too. Only it's harder when I think of how little I knew about him. Kind of reminds me of the baby I lost with Declan," she plowed forward with candor, surprising Amanda. "Funny how someone you barely knew or never met at all can have such a deep effect on you."

Amanda sympathized, reaching out again. "Anytime you want to know something, just ask," she offered. It was not her first extension, but it was one Charlotte rarely took her up on. She had always assumed it was too painful, or perhaps she feared the memories would overlap into references of her mother.

Charlotte maintained her hesitancy. "Nothing comes to mind," she insisted, smiling nonetheless. "But, thank you for always offering."

Amanda nodded. "The other reason I came back," she built up gradually. "Is to ask you if you've experienced anything unsettling of late?"

"Such as?" Charlotte posed curiously.

"Anything unusual… perhaps some unwanted attention?" Amanda glanced around quickly, ever mindful of her surroundings. "You're a Clarke, after all and even with our father's name cleared, fanatics are still out there. Some are even crazy enough to put things in the mail these days…"

Charlotte sensed Amanda had a direct reference in mind but she calmly chose not to pursue. "Occasionally," she shrugged without concern. "The rehab center is pretty thorough at filtering anything that could trigger the residents – including employees. But even if the occasional 'hate mail' makes it through I try not to dwell on it. I've learned not to let the past rob me of the present."

Amanda marveled at her maturity. "Good," she commended. "That's really good, Charlotte. I'm proud of you. You know, now that you mention it," she found it a perfect segue way to her proposition. "You're more than qualified now to help people in just about any capacity… Have you ever considered doing it from an administrative perspective?"

Charlotte tried to follow. "Like on a board of committees?"

"That's one way," Amanda gave a fair nod. "Or even just a partnership," she suggested. "I've been thinking lately about what I can do with the property where Grayson Manor once stood. It's been leveled for so long – I wonder if we could repurpose it? Maybe build our own center… maybe dedicate it to our family's legacy—" Amanda was suddenly fresh with ideas, but Charlotte's downcast look quickly silenced them.

"Look, I really hope you don't hate me for saying this," she prefaced. "But I never want to go near that place again."

Amanda swallowed her words and gave Charlotte a moment to freely state her stance.

"If it's something _you_ need to do, by all means," she continued tactfully. "It's just like I said – I don't want the past to rob me of the present. Even if I only had to set foot on the lot once, the view itself would remind me of everything I've worked so hard to forget."

"I understand," Amanda was forced to relent. Part of her even wondered at her own ability to pitch the idea. "Never mind then," she dismissed it, mentally crossing it off her list. Charlotte's countenance seemed to brighten and just that fast, they moved onto other things. "Let's just enjoy our lunch together."

* * *

"So is your sister all clear?"

Amanda took Nolan's call through her car's audio system. "If she got something she discarded it," she answered aloud. "But, she's been doing so well I didn't want to dredge it up. She's thinking about going for her doctorate in therapy in the fall."

Nolan was less optimistic on the other end, pacing himself up the walk to a gated facility. "Five stars for Char but, isn't she still at risk?" he prodded.

"Not if I keep an eye on her," Amanda surmised, pressing her lips. It seemed she would be staying in town longer than she had originally planned. She tried not to think on it too long. "Where are we with the sample?"

"Still running tests but in the meantime I decided to go on my own field trip," Nolan informed, flashing identification to the first round of security. "I took a drive over to county to see if our old pal, Ms. LeMarchal knows anything about Mason's whereabouts. She was after all, the last one to see him off after colluding with big bad _V_."

Amanda had to restrain her instinctive urges in response. "Careful, Nolan," she warned. "I know Margaux fessed up to everything in the end but serving out a sentence has a way of hardening you." Her mind raced at what kind of mental state Margaux could be in by now, even wondering if she could be involved. "We can't even rule her out in all of this," she hinted.

"Highly doubt it," Nolan countered, but stayed mindful. "But either way, there's only one way to find out right? Still – I think Margaux has a good heart. Even the system agrees, last I heard she's eligible for parole in a few months."

"Even more reason to be on guard," Amanda was further convinced. "I wouldn't put it past her to stage any of this a prelude to her exit."

By now Nolan had approached the main gate and had to surrender his phone. He stopped in place to quickly finish up. "I'll report back if I get that vibe, but honestly Ems _chillax,_ " he insisted, revealing a key detail as he met eyes with the guard. "It's not my first time visiting."

It came as a surprise to Amanda who was slowly realizing how much catching up she had to do with her long lost friends. Another was currently on her mind so she decided to lay off with Nolan for the moment, and changed lanes to make a turn. "Fine," she said. "I think I'll opt for an unscheduled meeting myself."

"Oh?" Nolan lingered with interest, holding off the guard with a finger.

Amanda chose not to keep it a secret. "I need more intel on the notes that were sent and you've already told me everything you know. Where can I find Louise?"

Nolan chuckled. "Are you still on the upper end of town? Try _A Pea in the Pod._ "

Amanda paused to think, her brow creasing as it registered. "Wait isn't that—A designer maternity store?" she clarified.

"Oh didn't I mention?" Nolan quipped, ending with few words as he turned his phone into security. "Louise is pregnant."


End file.
